You know, the a previous time Russia picked on a small neighboring country, it ended *really, really* embarrassingly for them.

But hey, maybe they want "Winter War: Part Deux"

I actually just got in a copy of A Frozen Hell this past Monday. Haven't gotten a chance to dive into it yet. The Winter War was a fascinating military disaster.

My husband's uncle had a really interesting documentary we watched on the Finland part in particular. I'll have to see if I can get the name of it._________________Eureka00: "Reminding you of your addictions" since 1982.

One day people who think like that will be stared at in horror and their families will try desperately to get them to shut up. It makes me sad that today is not that day._________________"Worse comes to worst, my people come first, but my tribe lives on every country on earth. Ill do anything to protect them from hurt, the human race is what I serve." - Baba Brinkman

I've always assumed it's because of the first past the post voting system, which encourages people to vote, say, "against Romney" as opposed to "for Obama", voting for Obama not because they like his policies best out of everyone, but because he was most likely to win of the people who weren't Romney.

So we're stuck with Party A and Party Not-A, and a handful of smaller parties that don't go anywhere because people who want Party B even more than Party A still vote for Part A so that Party Not-A doesn't win.

plus, at least on the national level as well as in certain states, a third party would have to have some very deep pockets to compete in elections. it's easier to simply attach yourself to one of the two existing parties, which already have the donors and infrastructure.

of course, the tea partiers very well could start their own third party...but then they would just act as a spoiler that benefits the democrats.

Although I wonder perhaps if Kincannon has confused transgender people with Mr. Potatohead dolls, or Picasso paintings, since he's talking about 'rearrangement.'_________________[Stripeypants has enabled lurk mode.]

in honor of the international herald tribune being renamed the international new york times, the NYT has had links to old editorials - including this one from 1932. which sounds oddly familiar, except no one would admit they were a fascist, these days:

Quote:

May 22, 1932: Fascism for America

May 22, 1932  The hour has struck for a fascist party to be born in the United States. In the face of the most critical financial situation in the history of the country, Washington presents the amazing spectacle of more special groups seeking to get their fingers in the national treasury than ever before. From every section and from every layer of our economic life, the embattled lobbies have descended upon the capital. Bills to appropriate millions for the aid of special classes or industries are tossed into the House of Representatives, at the moment when federal finances are strained to the breaking point. Congress has one plain duty, to balance the budget, and to refuse every subtle appeal for money that is not foreseen by that budget. In the cities, where authorities confess themselves unable to cope with the sinister enterprise arrayed against them; in state capitals and county towns, where special privilege is bought and sold; wherever patronage is distributed and crime protected, there is the rumble of indignation among householders, the anger and disgust of taxpayers, which presage the gathering of moral forces into overt movement.

Someone will give the signal. It may be a mechanic, coming out of his engine-room, wiping his hands upon oily waste, in despair at the insecurity of his home; it may be a veteran teacher  like Peter the Hermit preaching a crusade  shocked to find the holy sepulchre of our national liberty in the hands of vandals. It may be the clean youth and imagination of a Charles Lindbergh, calling upon men of goodwill to join him in a party of law and order. It may be the sagacity and experience of a Henry Ford, summoning men to match the organization of the underworld with a still more potent organization. In every part of the country men are waiting for the call, and when it is heard, there will be a roar of assent from a million throats. The elements are assembled for the formation of this kind of fascism in the United States, composed of householders, heads of families and taxpayers. The stage is set.